Service stool

ABSTRACT

A utility stool having vertically spaced end frames connected by a generally U-shaped body member that is detachably connected to the frames in either of two vertically reversed positions, and at various elevations in either of such positions, together with means for supporting a variety of attachments.

United States Patent Ronning 3,656,809 1451 Apr. 18, 1972 2,829,705 4/1958 Godshalket al................... 2,798,732 7/1957 SERVICE STOOL Craig [72] Inventor:

Jacob Rowling, 3525 Irving Avenue 1,693,166 11/1928 South, Minneapolis, Minn. 55408 Aug. 14, 1970 Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney-Carlsen, Carlsen & 8mm

[22] Filed:

211 App]. No.2 63,716

ABSTRACT g vertically spaced end frames connected ....A47C 9/12, A47C 7/50 A utility stool havin by a generally U-shaped bodymember that is detachably con- 29 /4 ,462 nected to the frames in either of two vertically reversed positions, and at various elevations in either of such positions, together with means for supporting a variety of attachments.

[58] FieldofSearch..............,......

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1951 Herbert.............................

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SERVICE STOOL This invention relates to service or utility stools of the general type that are designed for use in the home and around the yard and garden, and the primary object is to provide a simple yet very practical and efficient device that is easily and quickly adjustable from a low position, where it can be used for a kneeling support, and to various heights up to a point where it may serve as an auxiliary or emergency stool on which a person may comfortably sit.

When adjusted into one of its lower positions, as when used for a kneeling support, the device is particularly useful when working on carpeting and other floor operations, or when doing gardening or certain lawn work, and in these instances the end frames also provide handles by which the operator can assist himself to or from the kneeling position.

When adjusted to one of its upper positions the supporting platform can be employed as a seat that can be secured at the most convenient height for the child or person who is to use it. When this is done the device is not only serviceable as a conventional stool but can be employed for various special purposes such for instance as a foot support when one wishes to pedicure his own feet, and for which an auxiliary foot support is disclosed.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device with the supporting platform in its lowermost position, and with parts of the device separated into component parts to facilitate explanation of certain structural features.

FIG. 2 is a sectional detail view, on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, of one end of the stool with the supporting platform in a raised position.

F IG. 3 is a sectional detail view of the other end of the stool, but with the supporting platform in a reversed position and raised to its highest elevation.

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of a part of the stool and including the auxiliary foot support that may be attached for pedicure purposes.

Referring to the drawing more particularly and by reference characters, A and B designate a pair of end frames that are detachably connected and maintained in vertical positions by a body member C.

Each of the end frames consists essentially of an inverted U- shaped tubular bar 5 the legs of which are rigidly connected,

intermediate their ends, by a cross bar 6, which, as shown, is of square tubing and is preferably welded or otherwise firmly secured in place. The upper ends of the bars 5 have horizontal sections 7 which serve as handles to carry the stool, and which are also very effective in helping a person rise from a kneeling position on the platform portion 8 of the body member C,

while the lower ends of the tubular bars 5 are preferably provided with rubber floor contacting caps or tips 9.

The body member C is generally of U-shaped construction, having the aforesaid horizontal platform portion 8, and two end extensions 10 thereof in the form of vertical plates. The upper ends of these plates have integral flanges 11 which extend outwardly so that they may rest on the cross bars 6, when the platform member C is in its lowermost position, as in FIG. 1, and are detachably secured to the cross bars by bolts 12 which extend through holes 13 in the cross bars where they are secured by wing nuts 14.

The platform 8 is provided with a pad 15 on which the operator may kneel when the member C is in its underslung position as shown in FIG. 1, and the elevation of the platform may be readily adjusted, for various work purposes, by temporarily removing the bolts 12 and resecuring the end plates 10 to the cross bars 6 by elevating the body member C to higher positions where the bolts are reinserted in other plate holes 16 before again being secured by the wing nuts 14. When in such raised positions it is necessary, however, to provide additional bearing support for the end plates 10 on the cross bars 6, and to that end the plates are provided with projections which in the present instance consist of punched out pairs'of rigid flanges 17 that are vertically spaced for selective enggfiement with the cross bars as indicated in FIG. 2.

en rt rs desired to employ the stool for some purposes requiring a still higher elevation of the platform 8, as for seating, then it is only necessary to remove the nuts 14, vertically reverse the body member C, so that the end plates 10 extend downwardly and then resecure them in a selected vertical position where the bolts 12 and flange projections 17 will reengage the cross bars 6 to rigidly supportthe platform, as in FIG. 3. As the pad 15 is now not available for use I provide the opposite or now upper surface of the platform 8 with a similar but second pad 18, thus completing the transition to an efficient and neatly appearing seating stool for auxiliary purposes.

With the structure shown, and when sold and used for the wide variety of purposes of which it is capable, it is often desirable to provide various types of attachments such as containers and other supports for tools, materials, etc., and these may be designed for mounting on either the frames A and B or the connecting body frame C.

In the present instance I have illustrated two forms of such attachments, one being the receptacle 19 shown in FIG. 1. This receptacle is formed of plastic or other suitable material and is provided with a pair of hooks 20 that are detachably secured in a pair of vertical apertures 21 formed in the cross bar 6 between the legs of each frame 5.

The other attachment, as shown in FIG. 4, is one designed for persons who wish to work on their own feet such as trim nails, treat callouses or do other home pedicure work. This device is essentially formed of a generally U-shaped frame rod 22 having two vertical extensions 23 terminating in hooks 24 detachably engageable in the apertures 21 of cross bar 6. The outer end of the frame 22 is provided with a well rounded and fairly soft pad 25 for supporting the foot to be worked on.

This attachment will be used when the body member C is in its inverted or high positions, as shown in FIG. 3, at which time the operator straddles the cushion l8, saddle fashion, which has been adjusted to a suitable elevation, so that the foot can be placed on the pad 25 in front of the operator. The pad is preferably covered with some coarse fabric material, to prevent slippage of the foot being worked on, and to add further comfort may be tiltable on the frame 22. The frame itself is made of heavy rod material, with the vertical extensions 23 having bearing contact with the outer faces of the cross bar to give ample support for the foot and leg pressure of even a heavy person.

Having now disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a pair of upright end frames and a body member rigidly but detachably connected to and between the end frames to support the latter in their upright positions, said body member including a horizontal platform having vertical end plates rigidly extending therefrom, and means for attaching the end plates to the end frames in a series of selected positions and with the body member in either of two vertically reversed positions.

2. The device of claim 1 in which each of the end frames includes 'a pair of vertical bars rigidly connected intermediate their upper and lower ends by a cross bar, and in which said end plates are detachably secured in selected positions to the respective cross bars. 

1. A device of the character described comprising a pair of upright end frames and a body member rigidly but detachably connected to and between the end frames to support the latter in their upright positions, said body member including a horizontal platform having vertical end plates rigidly extending therefrom, and means for attaching the end plates to the end frames in a series of selected positions and with the body member in either of two vertically reversed positions.
 2. The device of claim 1 in which each of the end frames includes a pair of vertical bars rigidly connected intermediate their upper and lower ends by a cross bar, and in which said end plates are detachably secured in selected positions to the respective cross bars. 